


Secrets

by Shiori_Makiba



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Consider Your Head Space Before Reading, Gen, Poetry, Slavery, Tatooine Slave Culture, poem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 12:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5627035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiori_Makiba/pseuds/Shiori_Makiba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything important is a secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fialleril](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fialleril/gifts).



> Slavery is the subject of this poem and therefore is potentially triggering. Please consider your head space before reading.
> 
> Inspired by the works and headcannon of Fialleril.

“Secrets”

Everything important was a secret.  
The reason was simple.  
What the depuran did not know about,  
the depuran could not harm or take away.

There were, of course, those who did not heed this rule.  
They never did so for long.  
Their depur cured them of such foolishness.

A harsh lesson perhaps  
but in a slave's life,  
it would not be first of such lessons  
nor would it be the last.

The depuran like to believe   
That they hold all the cards.  
That they have broken their slaves,  
destroyed any free will and hope.  
That their slaves are nothing and do nothing  
without their say-so.

This is a lie.  
There is much a depur does not know.  
Learning that truth is amongst the first secrets  
a slave gains.

Another early secret is the words.  
Amatakka is our tongue,  
learned in secret and spoken in secret.

In many ways, this is the most important secret.  
One that must never, ever, fall in a depur's hands.  
For the depuran would certainly destroy it.

Only other slaves are taught it.  
Perhaps some former slaves teach their freeborn children  
but it is hard to be certain.  
For many are ashamed of their former status  
and did much to hide it.  
For others, it might be the fear of tempting fate  
staying their tongue.

And one's depur will do much to keep his slaves away  
from former slaves.  
Wouldn't want us to get ideas after all.

Another of the secrets is the stories.  
There are the ones that all the slaves are told by each other.  
The sacred stories of Ar-Amu the Great Mother,  
and of her sorrow and of her promises,  
The lesson stories of Ekkreth the Sky-walker  
and the many tricks they pull on Depur,  
The adventure stories of Akar Hinil  
the pirate who stole only from the rich.

There are also the ones told by your family.  
Stories of those who came before,  
Stories of those who are lost to us,  
Stories of life and love, pain and anger, joy and sorrow.  
Memories collected over tzai and  
like tzai passed on those claimed as family.

In addition to those shared secrets,  
one begins to acquire their own secrets.  
And one can amass many secrets in a lifetime.

True feelings, hopes and dreams  
all must remain hidden in your mind and your heart.  
Acts of defiance carefully arranged to look like obedience.

Marriage to one you love might be unknown to all  
but those within it.

Sometimes your children because  
while children are supposed to follow their mother,   
depur's cruelty knows no bounds.

The secrets one might be hold are equally endless.

Our secrets are our defiance.  
For some, it is one of many.  
For others, it might be their sole act.  
Either way, it is powerful.

**Author's Note:**

> The Tatooine slave culture bits that inspired this were created by Fialleril. Go check them out.  
> Fialleril on A03: 
> 
> Amatakka is the slave tongue of Tatooine.  
> Depuran: the Masters.  
> Depur: master.
> 
> Ar-Amu the Great Mother, Ekkreth the Sky-walker and their Depur, Akar Hinil the celebrated pirate, and more are aspects of the Tatooine slave religion.
> 
> Tzai is tea. Each blend is unique and passed on only to family members.


End file.
